The present invention relates to a device for a counterweight lift truck for giving the truck operator a substantially free field of view in the driving direction. The counterweight lift truck comprises a chassis with, seen in the driving direction, front and rear driving wheels, a rearwardly mounted counterweight device, at least one driving motor and an operator""s cabin with an operator""s seat on which the operator is sitting during driving of the counterweight lift truck and during operation of a lifting device mounted on said truck. The lifting device includes a frame which is fixedly mounted on the chassis, a vertically moveable frame which is mounted on the fixedly mounted frame which is mounted on the fixedly mounted frame and a vertically movable lifting carriage which is mounted on the movable frame and which has one or more lifting means for lifting goods. The fixedly and movably mounted frames each include substantially vertically mounted frame beams and, relative to the driving direction, transverse frame beams which are located between the substantially vertically mounted frame beams and on a level above the operator""s cabin.
A lifting unit is mounted on the fixed frame for lifting the movable frame. The counterweight lift truck comprises, as stated, an operator""s cabin with a seat for the operator.
In known counterweight lift trucks of this type, the operator""s field of view in the driving direction is considerably limited by the frames of the lifting device because these are located far in front of the operator""s cabin. Furthermore, the frames and the lifting carriage have transverse frame beams which during driving and lifting operations normally are located in level with the operator""s cabin and thereby directly block large parts of the field of view right in front of the operator.
In counterweight lift trucks with an operator""s cabin, the problem with a poor field of view for the operator has not yet been eliminated despite the fact that the problem is particularly great in such lift trucks because of their very large and voluminous frames.
However, measures for improving the view have been taken in lift trucks of smaller types as illustrated in the publication U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,293 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,932. In the lift truck of U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,293, the vertical beams of the frame have been inclined in order to give the operator a large field of view. Such locations of the vertical beams of the frame may certainly give the operator a larger field of view, but the construction is complex and expensive. The lift truck of U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,932 has no operator""s cabin and the operator""s seat is located so far behind the frames that these considerably limit the operator""s field of view.
The object of the present invention has been to provide a device which eliminates this problem while maintaining the stability of the lifting device. This is arrived at by providing the device with the characterizing features of subsequent claim 1.
Since the device is provided with the characterizing features, the operator gets a large substantially free field of view than previously when he sits on his seat in the operator""s cabin. Hereby, the operator can work quicker and safer from his seat in the operator""s cabin and his work becomes less tiring and the risk for injuries is smaller. Also, the counterweight lift truck gets a smaller total length, a better weight distribution and the lifting device can protect the operator""s cabin against goods falling down from above.